Dumping mechanism for dipper-dredges.



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w. CLIFFORD & W. PBRRIS. DUMPING MECHANISM FOR DIPPER DREDGES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1907.

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PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. W. CLIFFORD & W. PERRIS.

DUMPING MECHANISM FOR DIPPBR DREDGES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1907.

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No. 389,202. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. W. CLIFFORD & W; FERRIS. DUMPING MECHANISM FOR DIPPEE ma mas.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1907.

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6 SHEETS-SHEBT 4 anucnl'ozd emu I FPORD & W. FERR DUMPING MECHANISM F0 No. 889,202. PATENTBD JUNE 2, 1908.

' W. G IPPORD & W. FERRIS'.

. DUMPING MECHANISM FOR'DIPPER DREDGES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1907.

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\YISCONSN, 1i CORPORATION. OF \VISCUXRIX.

DUMPING MECHANISM FOR DIER-DREDGE$ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented crime 2, ions.

Application filed September 14, 1907. Serial No. 392,922.

,To (111 whom it may concern:

Mechanism for Dipper-Dredges; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which; it 'appertnins to make end use the some. c

The invention relates to dipper dumping devices for dredges and the like, and has for its object to )rovide,in a dredge or the like having a flui pressure engine for tripping the latch which'holds the bottom of the dipper in closed position, means for taking up and paying out the hose which supplies the fluid pressuremedium to the engine as the dipper handle moves in and out from the boom.

To this end the invention comprises a drum mounted upon the boom, upon which drum the hose is adapted to be wound, said drum being connectet with a, suitable source of fluid pressure through one of lib illllllllUliS,

which is made hollow for this purpose, said hollow trunnion be ng in turn connected with the end of the hose, so that connection may be resdily established with the fluid pressure engine st all times and the hose may o kept suiliciently taut betweehthe winding drum and the 'iiuid pressure engine to avoid kinking or buckling and also to prevent the hose from sagging when the. dipper handle is moved toward the boom and thereby interfering with the operation of the mechanism.

in the accompanving'drawings: Figure. 1 is a side elevation oi boom and dipper mechanism of a dipper dredge, employing the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the dipper and the forward end of its handle; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the appsratus illustratcdin Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an on lorged front. elevation of the winding drum, showing the mode of mounting the some on the boo1n;-F ig. 5 is a longitudinalsection through Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of n section of the boom, showing the relation of the winding drum and its actuating means; vl ig. 7 is a similar view showing a modified form of driving menus for the drum; :5 and 9 are plan views partly in section of the; threcovny valve for controlling the admission of lluid pressure to and evhnust of the some irom the fluid prcssuroenginc. I

Referring to the drawings, (1. indicates the hull of the dredge, upon which is mounted. the swinging boom I which carries the dipper d, thehitter having a. handle 0, open tively engaged with suitable gearing on the shipper shaft c, as will be. understood by those familiar with this t-vpeof machine. lhe dip 01 (1 is provided with n hinged bottom e wliiclris adapted to be opened to dis-. charge the contents of thebucket after each digging or excavating operation'of the letter.

The bottom a is not-mull held in closed or locked position by means of a sliding boltf, nttnched'to the under face thereoi which engages a keeper g on the forward face of the bucket, as will also be understood by those skilled in the art. (onnected with the bolt f by means of a suitable chaiinm other eonpecting meensflz, is a lluid pressure engine, i, nounted on the low side of the dipper hanllle, which said fluid pressure engineers-y be etauy of the usual types of single acting engine. Fluid pressure is admitted to, the gins-i by means of flexible hose or piping j, which connects said engine with an air oompressor or other suitable source of fluid pressure, which may be conveniently located on the hull of the dredge, but which mev egusliy well be located on the boom, if desires, and be driven by an electrical or other motor, also located on the boom.

As the dipper handle is moved in sun out with respect to the boom by means of its cooperation with the actuating mechanism on the shipper shaft 6, during the regular operations of filling and em tying the bucket, the pipe or hose wouh alternately sag and tighten between its connection withthe fluid pressure engine a1, and its connection on the boom, unless some means were provided for takingup the slack as the dipper handle moves inward, and for waving out thehose-as the handle is extended. As the amount of sag in the. hose, when the dipper handle is at its extreme inner position, is considerable the hose would be likely to kink or buckle and also would be liable to interfere with the proper working of the dipper.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide means for taking care of the slack of the hose, so that the hose will be evenly taken in and paid out commensurately with the corresponding movements of the dipper handle. The means for effecting this result consists of a drum mjournaled in suitable bearings w, located on the side frames of the boom I). Said drum m is provided with a grooved surface to lay up the successive coils of the hose evenly. The drum m may be conveniently operated for taking up the slack of the hose, when the dipper handle moves inwardly, by means of a tail-rope a connected to a secondary drum n, preferably cast as a part of the main drum m, said tail rope being connected at its free end to a suitable counter-weight b which operatesupon an inclined guide way a, secured to the boom. In order that the tail rope and counter-weight may run freev said counter weight is preferably provided with wheels which engage the guide way 0 and the tail rope runs over a suitable fairlead (1 mounted on the top of the boom.

One end of the hose 7' is secured to the drum by a rigid pipe connection '1), which communicates with a conduit 10 formed in one of the trunnions of said drum m. Said hol low trunnion is provided with a nipple or pipe section u, screw threaded in the end thereof, which is rotatably connected with the fluid pressure supply pipe 7c, leading to the compressor or other suitable source of pressure, by means of an elbow joint 2, so as to permit the drum m and connecting nip le u to rotate freely in either direction and also maintain free communication betweenfihe fluid pressure engine i and the source of fluid pressure through the hose j, pipem, hollow trunnion p, nipple u, and pipe 7;.

In order to control the supplyof fluid pres sure to the engine 1' and to regulate the exhaustof the latter, there is interposed in the pipe 76 a three-way valve Z, which is adapted to open up communication directly between the source of pressure and the engine i, to close such connection and establish a direct discharge of the pressure from the engine to the atmosphere, or to shut off both the supply and exhaust. This three-way valve I may be located either on the boom 6, or on the hull of the dredge adj acont to the station of the engineer, who controls the other mechanism, but, in any evens, accessible for ready control in any position.

The operation of the apparatus, as hereinbcfore described, is substantially as follows. When the bucket (Z is dropped for a digging or excavating operation, the bottom (-1 thereof closes by gravity, and is held in closed position by means of the latch harp engaging the keeper 9. After the l oaded bucket has been lifted through the cot'iperation of its handle 0 -:l the shipper shaft e, and it is desired to dum e bucket, three way valve 6 is turned to admit pressure from the compressor or l other source of fluid, to the engine "i by way of pipe Ir, nipple u, hollow trunnion p, pipe 1', and hose j, which causes the piston in the cylindertobe retracted. thereby withdrawing latchfbyreasonoftheconnectionofthelatter with the piston rod through chain 11. As the dipper handle 0 moves in toward the boom, during either the digging or dumping operation, the slack inthc hose j, occasioned by this movement of the dipper handle, will be instantly taken up by the drum which is rorope a, pulling upon the auxiliary drum )1. For the reverse motion of the dipper handle, tension is put upon the pipe which causes the latter to be drawn oil the drum in, rotating the latter and causing the tail rope or to be wound upon the auxiliary drum n. It will, therefore be noted that for each movement of the dipper handle either toward or fl'Olflllllt boom, the pipe will be kept, under substantially uniform tension and all undue sagging thereof will be prevented. As soon -as the bucket has been dumped, the threeway Valve 1 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 9, thereby cuttingoil' connection with the source of power and opening up the engine i to the exhaust. As the lmck'etswi ngs downward for another digging operation, the bottom thereof swings shut by gravity. and the latch f falls into place, and the piston in engine 'i is returned to its forward position, for the next operation.

Instead of employing a counter-weight and tail rope, associated with an auxiliary power drum, for operating the pipe drum m the latter may be. positively operated from the shipper shaft, and a convenient means for effectin this result is by connecting the drum to the shipper shaft with a chain 9, engaging a sprocketf' on the shipper shaft and a smil lnr sprocket on the shaft of said drum. lVith this arrangement of drive for the drum m, it will be noted that the latter is ositivoly operated to take up the slack of t 10 pipe j, Without imposing any undue strain or tension on the pipe, inasmuch as the said pipe is taken up and paid out to an extent substantially commensurate with the corresponding movements of the dipper handle.

What we claim is:-

1. ln :1 dipper dredge or the like, the combination of lluid pressure means for tripping the locking means for the di per bottom, flexible piping for connecting t 1e fluid pres sure means with :1 source of su )ply, and means on the boom for taking up the slack in said piping as the dipper handle moves inward.

2. in a dipper dredge or the like, the com- :binntion of :1 tluid pressure engine on the dipper handle operativcly connected with the latch bolt. on the di ipor bottom, a drum located on the boom, ilexiblc piping for supplytatcd-by the counter-weight l7 and the tail ing; pressure to said engine,

- retailing the drum to take up the sleek of said piping as the dipper handle moves inward.

ln a dip )er dredge or the like, the COHL emotion of a 1 old pressure engihe on 'l-he dipoer handle operotively connected with the.

latch bolt on the dipper bottorfl el drum loceted exit-he boom, flexible piping for supply-- boom opemtively connected with cls hitch holt'oi'the dipper bottom, a drum on the boom, flexible pipinig attached at. one end he said drum and at the other to said engine,

means for. connecting the drum end of said piping with s source or fluid pressure, means for eo'custmg the drum to, take up the sleek of the piping.

5. 111 e dipper dredge or the iihe, eom.'

Mimi/i011 of o fluid pressure engine on the 'boom opere-tively comiected with the lsich hull of the dipper bo stom, a drum on the boom, flexible piping attached ec one end to sniddrum and at she other to said engine, means for connecting the drum e: l of said piping with s source oi fluid presses end ailsil rope and counter-weight operstively con and means for heated with said drum to drive' sheisame in a diieetion to take up the sleek of the piping. 35

6. in a dipper diedge or the like, the com hinstion of e fluid pressure en ine oil-the boom operatively connected Wiih the latch belt of the dipper hottom, a drum on'the boom, having a hollow trunnion connected 40 with e' source of fluid pressure, flexible piping connected at one end with said hollow trunnion and at the other to said e11 ins, and means for actuating the drum to m e up the sleek of the pipin 7. ins dipper dredge or thelike, the combieeoion of a fluid pressure en. ine on the boom operm'ivively colineoted Wit the latch bolt of the dipper bottom, 2; drum on the boom, having a hollow trunnion connected with :1 source of iiuid pressure, flexible piping connected atone end with said hollow trunnion end at the other to said engine, and a tail rope and counterweight operobively connested with said drum to drive the some in a 55 direction'to take up the slack of the piping. In 'testimonywhereoi we afiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

lVlLLlAM CLIFFORD. WALTER FERRIS. Witnesses for illifford:

NAPOLEON CRIGNON, REMONT B. K101). Witnesses for Ferris:

HARRY HAYBEN, E

n, Reese. 

